Automobile-starter.



HI PI AUTOMOBILE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.15, 1910.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' lNVENTO/? I rromvsrs H. P. MAXIM. AUTOMOBILE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15, 1910.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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j llflffflf llflll INVENTOH ATTORNEYS WITNESSES HIRAM PERCY MAXIM. 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMOBILE-STARTER To all whom at may concern: v Be it known that I, HIRAM PERCY MAXIM,

a citizen of the United States, residing at i Hartford, Connectlcut, have made certain new and useful Inventions Relating to Au- 1 tomobile-Starters, of which the following is V a specification, taken in connection with the 5 l of these cylinders may be provided with a accompanying drawings, forming part of the same.

This invention relates especially to automobile starters in which the regular starting clutch on the gas engine shaft and the cooperating hand starting shaft and startmg lei'er thereon are employed and may be operated in the usual way without interfering with the auxiliary power starting devices.

A fluid pressure reservoir is preferably provided with a needle valve shutoff and connected with one of the cylinders of the gas engine through a check valve so that a during the normal operation of the engine,

gas is forced into the reservoir and a pressure of several hundred pounds per square inch maintained therein. A starter valve this reservoir and with a starter cylinder so .as to operate the toothed starter piston therein. The starter pinion meshing with the teeth on the piston may be loosely mounted on the regular hand starting shaft and be provided with cam devices so that when it is first rotated on the admission of fluid pressure to the starter cylinder this pinion and the hand starter shaft are vmoved longitudinally to cause the engagement of the usual starting clutch and thereupon start the engine during the further powerful rotation of the pinion. A' cooling coil may also be interposed in the connection adjacent the gas engine cylinder and a tire inflating valve and connection located adjacent'this cooling coil. a

In'the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way an illustrative embodiment of this invention, Figure 1 is a general elevation, Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the starting cylinder and connected parts taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, 'Fig. 3 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed'October 15, 1910.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 587,166.

stantially along the axis of the hand starting shaft and Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan view of the same.

In the illustrative embodiment of this invention shown in the drawings the engine cylinders 1 may be mounted on the engine casing 2 as usual and one or more suitable connection 3 in which a cutoff valve 4 of any desired description may be mounted and connected with a suitable check valve casing 5 in which the ball check valve is mounted so as to operate under these extreme service conditions in which it is exposed to high temperature engine gases and for this reason having the construction indicated which is shown in somewhat greater detail in the Maxim Patent No. 956,592 of May 3, 1910. This checl; valve may oommunicate through suitable connections with the cooling coil 7 and reservoir 14, these connections comprising if desired a suitable pipe ti communicating with the cooling coil of helical pipe or other construction and having if desired in connection therewith a suitable. tire valve 8 and handleficontrolling.

other check valve 11 may if desired be 10- cated in the connection 12 between the cooling coil and reservoir l t and also it is de sirable to have a positive reservoir shutoff valve closely adjacent the reservoirto posi-x tively hold the high pressure gases therein for considerable periods as when the auto mobile is out of service for a considerabl tune. For this purpose a needle type valve; such as indicated 1s desirable since 1t '1n'- sures positive closure under-such conditions The reservoir may also be provided withl a] suitable reservoir drain cook 15 of any dc-g sired construction to insure tight closure. The cylinder pipe 31 may connect the starter cylinder 16 with the reservoir and have 'located therein the starter valve 15 prefe 'ab1y mounted on the dashboard of the machine corresponding sectional view taken sub- 1 or other convenient place to facilitate the convenient operation of'tlfis starting device.

This starter valve may as indicated be of the three-way type and have a suitable exhaust port 48 in the casing through which sthe. gasesin the starter cylinder may be allowedto exhaust.

. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 the cylinder pipe 31 may be connected with the. cylinder by a suitable coupling 41. The'starter piston 28 may be mounted within this cylinder and be'provided withsuitable packing 29 of leather or. other materialheld inposition on the piston as by a suitable-washer and retaining nut 32. The'piston may also be pro:

vided with an internal aperture 35 to accommodatethe piston spring 27 which normally tends to return this'piston to its ini-- tial position indicated in Fig. 2. Suitable rack teeth 26 may be formed in the piston and be given 'suflicient width to coeperate with the teeth on the ,pinion 24. as this pinion is moved longitudinally to" some extent, these rack teeth also serving to hold the starter piston sufiiciently in alinement to secure efficient operation although other alining means may be employed if desired. The starter cylinder may be provided witha suitable cushioning relief hole 46 adjacent its forward end as indicated in Fig. 2 so that as the piston advances to close this hole its further movement is cushioned by the fluid in this end 34 of the cylinder. A suitable-cylinder drain cook 17 may also be pro-.

,vided to allow the escape of any liquid which 1 35 may collect in that end of the cylinder.

As indicated in .Fig. 1, the engine shaft 22' maybe provided with theusual clutch-meme;

ber '21 with which thecooperating starting clutch member 20 coeperates'when the shaft 7 4023 of the usual handstarting. lever- 19- is pushed inward sufficiently. to bring theseclutch members into -engagement the releasing spring 18 normally tending to'hold these starting clutch members in the disengaged-- position indicated.

3 The starter pinion 24L .may'as indicated in of the casing whichmay as indicated in Fig.

3v be provided with a suitable annular recess 42 in which the pinion spring 25 may be located. This spring normally tends to force the pinion forward toward the starting clutch and controls its longitudinal movement in connection with the pinion cam 36 secured to the pinion 'WlllCl). coeperates with the disengaging cam 37 on the head 17 of the casing. This springalso insures the normal engagement'of. a clutch of any de-' sired description provided between the pinion and starting clutch member 20 and this clutch may as: indicated in Fig. 4 comprise one or more clutch projections such as 39 cooperating with corresponding recesses in the clutch member 20. I

It will thus be understood thatthe' normal operation, of the automobile engine maintains a high gas pressure of several hundred pounds per square inch in the reservoir 14 and when the starter valve 15 is operated. :this' high pressure gas is admitted through the cylinder passage 30 so as; to act upon the starting piston 28 and force it toward the left in Fig. 2 so as to correspondingly.

rotate the pinion 24; the pistons motion being cushioned at the end of the stroke by the air held in the space 34 in the cylinder beyond ,the relief hole-. 16. The first twenty or twenty-five degrees of. the p'i'nions rotation sufiiciently rotate the -pin'roncam 36 so that the pinion spring 25 can force the pinion and connected clutch member 20 longitudinally into engagement withthe cooperating member 21 of the starting clutch so that the subsequent sixty-five or seventy degrees of movement of the pinion are communicated to the engine shaft 22 and connected parts so as to give apowerful starting im-- 1 pulse. to the engine. When the engine starts it serves-to disengage the-starting clutch in the usual way and in caseof back firing of the engine the pinion cam '36 disengages thissclutch before the. starting piston has .reached the beginning of its stroke. Of

course/when the engine has started the operator bringsthe'starter valve 15 back to its initial position indicated in Fig. land the gases in the starter cylinder are discharged;

through the exhaust port 48 while. the starter piston is moved back to it-sinitial position shown in Fig. 2 by "the piston spring 27.

the hand starting mechanism since theihand starting shaft: 23 may. be forced longitudi-j nally inward by the lever '19, thus forcing the starting clutchmembers intoengagement .'Th1S power starting device does not in any way interfere with the regular operation of;

and simultaneously carrying the clutch member 20"out of.";en'gagement with the clutch projections 39 'onthe pinionsleeve, shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

Having described this invention in con-- 'nection with illustrative embodiments, pro.-

portions, and arrangements. of parts, to the not of course to belimited, whatzis claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set fortlrin the appended claims.

details of which disclosure the invention is 1. In automobile starters, a gas engine comprising an engine shaft, starting clutch, hand starting shaft and. connected hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a ball check valve and cutoff valve connected to one of the cylinders of said engine, a reservoir. provided with a needle valve reservoir shutoff and a connection between said check valve and said reservoir shutoff valve comprising an auxiliary check valve, a cooling coil in said connection, a tire valve and tire inflating connection adjacent said cooling coil, a cylinder pipe and three-way starter valve communieating with said connection adjacent said reservoir, a starter cylinder having a relief hole and a cylinder drain cock and connected to said cylinder pipe, a starter piston provided'withwide rack teeth and with a piston aperture mountedwithinsaid cylinder, a piston spring in-said piston aperture to normally return said piston to initial position, a starter pinion meshing with said rack teeth and having a connected pinion sleeve and hub loosely mounted on said hand starting shaft-to allow the normal operation of said starting lever, a pinion clutch normally in engagement with the adjacentmember of said starting clutch, a pinion cam secured to said pinion, a cooperating stationary disengaging cam and a pinion spring tending to hold said pinion cam in engagement and causethe engage- .ment of said starting clutch when said 3 pinion is first rotated by fluid pressure from said reservoir on operating said starter valve to thereupon start said engine.

2. In automobile starters, a gas engine comprising an engine shaft, starting clutch, hand starting shaft and connected starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a check valve connected to one of the cylinders of said engine, a reservoir provided with a reservoir shutoff valve and a 5 connection between said check valve and said reservoir shutoff valve comprising a cooling coil, a cylinder pipe and starter valve communicating with, said connection adj acent said reservoir, a starter cylinder having cushioning means and connected with 'said cylinder pipe, a starter piston provided with rackteeth and means to normally return said piston to initial position, a starter pinion meshing with said rack teeth and having a connected pinion sleeve loosely mounted on said hand starting shaft to allow the normal operation of the connected hand. starting lover, a pinion clutch connected with said pinion and normally in en 'gagement with the adjacent member of said starting clutch, a pinion cam secured to said pinion, a cooperating stationary disen gaging cam and a pinion spring tending tohold s aid pinion cam in engagement and cause the engagement of said starting clutch when said pinion is first rotated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine. I

3. In automobile starters, a gas engine comprising an engine shaft, starting clutch, hand starting shaft and connected hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir provided with a reservoir shutoff valve, a connection comprising a check valve between said reservoir shutoff valve and one of the cylinders of said gas engine, a cylinder pipe and starter valve communicating with said connection between said check valve and said reservoir, a starter cylinder connected to said cylinder pipe, a starter piston provided with rack teeth and having a connected'pinion sleeve mounted on said hand starting shaft to allow the normal operation of said hand starting lever and means cooperating with said pinion to cause the engagement of said starting clutch when said pinion is first rotated'by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine.

4. In automobile starters, a gas engine comprising an engine shaft, a starting clutch, hand starting shaft and connected hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection comprising a check valve between said reservoir and one of the cylinders of said gas engine, a cylinder pipe and starter valve communicating with said connection between said reservoir and said check valve, a starter cylinder connected to said cylinder pipe, a starter piston within said cylinder, a starter member and connected sleeve operatively connected with said piston and mounted on said hand starting shaft to allow the normal operation of said starting lever and means cooperating with said starter member to cause the engagement of said starting clutch when said member is first operated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine.

5. In automobile starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, starting clutch'and hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection comprising a check valve between said reservoir and one of the cylinders of said engine, a cylinder pipe and starter valve communicating with said connect-ion between said reservoir and said check valve,

a starter cylinder connected with said cylinder pipe, a starter piston provided with rack teeth mounted within said cylinder, means to normally return said piston to initial position, a starter pinion meshing with-said rack teeth and having a connect-. ed pinion sleeve mounted to cooperate with said engine shaft and allow the normal operation of.said hand starting lever and means to connect said starter pinion with said engine shaft when said pinion is first rotated by" fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine;

6. In automobile starters, an engine com-' prising an engine shaft and hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection com;

prising a check valve between said reseryou and one of the cylinders of said engine,

a cylinder pipe and starter valve communieating with said reservoir, a starter cyline der connected to said cylinder pipe, a

starter piston mounted within said cylinder, a starter member operatively connected with said starter piston and cooperating with said engineshaft and means-to operatively connect said starter member with said engine shaft when said starter member is first rotated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine.

.7. In automobile starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft and hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection between saidreservoir and said'engine to produce fluid pressure in said reservoir during the operation of said engine, starter devices 00-.

- operating with said engine shaft and allowing thenormal operation of said hand starting lever, a starter valve connected with v 30" said reservoir and withsaid starter devices to operate the same by fluid pressure froma said reservoir and means to connect said starter devices with said engine'shaft when said starter devices are first operated by fluid pressure fromsaid reservoir to there= upon startsaid engine. v

8. 'Inautomobile starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, a hand starting lever mounted in cooperation with but normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection between said res- "ervoir and said engine to normally create fluid pressure in said reservoir during the operation of said engine, starter devices cooperating with but normally disengaged from said engine shaft and allowing the normal operation of said hand starting lever' independent of said starter devices communicating with starter cylinder connected to said cylinder manually starting said engine, a starter valve between sai reservoir and said starter devices and meansto connect said starter deviees with said engine shaftwhen said starter:-: devices are first operated by fluid pressure fromsaid reservoirto therefupon start said "engine;

9.- -In automobile starters, anhngine shaft,

a startingcluteh, hand starting. shaft-and,

hand -s tartiiig, fever normally disengaged from said engmeshaft, a fluid pressurereservoir, a cylinder pipe and starter valve said pipe a starter piston provided with rack teeth /mounted within said cylinder, means .1 ;o' normally return saidjpieton tolinitial poto allow the normal operation of sai starting lever and means to cause the engagement of said starting-clutch when said reservoir, a

sition, a starter pinion meshing with said teethand having a connected pmion sleeve loosely mounted on said-hand starting h d starting pinion is first rotated by fluid pressure from said reservoir to thereupon startsaid engine.

10. In automobile starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, starting clutch,

'hand startingshaft and hand starting lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft,

a fluid pressure reservoir, a cylinder pipe and starter valve communicatingwith said shaft reservoir, a starter cylinder connected to said cylinder pipe, a starter piston provided with rack teeth mounted within said cylinder, means to normally return said piston to initial position, a starter pinion meshing I with said rack teeth and having a connected pinion sleeve mounted on said hand starting shaft to allow the normal operation of said hand start g leven'a pinion cam secured to saidstarter pinion and cooperating means to-cause the engagement of said starting clutch when said starter pinion is first rotated by fluid pressure from said reservoir to thereupon rotate said engine shaft and start said engine. v

11. In engine starters, a hand starting shaft, a starter cylinder having a cushioning relief aperture, a starter pinionprovided teeth mounted within said cylinder, a starter pinion meshing with said rack teeth and having a .connectedpinion sleeve loosely mounted on said starting shaft to allow its normalroperation, a pinion cam secured to said starter pinion, a cooperatingstationary disengaging cam and a pinionspring tendingto hold said pinion cam in engagement and normally longitudinally move said pinion and starting shaft when said pinion is:

first rotated.

.1, 13.: In engine starters, astartiirg shaft, a starter cylinder, a starter piston mounted within said cylinder and having connected rack teeth, a starter pinion meshing with said rack teeth and mounted adjacent said starting. shaft to allow its normal operation, -a pinion cam cooperating with said starter pin on, a cooperating stationary disengaging cam and apinion spring tending to hold said pinion cam in engagement and longitudinally move said pinion andistarting shaft when said pinion is rotated 14. In engine starters. an engine comprising an engine shaft and hand starting lever mounted in'cooperation with but normally disengaged from said engine shaft. a reservoir, a cylinder pipe and starter valve communicating with said reservoir. a starter cylinder connected to said cylinder pipe. a starter piston mounted within said cylinder. a starter member operatively connected with said starter piston and cooperating with said engine shaft and means including a cam on said starter member to operatively connect said starter member with said engine shaft when said starter member is rotated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine.

15. In engine starters. an engine comprising an engine shaft and hand starting lever mounted in cooperation with but normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection between said reservoir and said engine to normally create fluid pressure in said reservoir during the operation of said engine, starter devices coopcrating with but disengagedfrom said engine shaft during the normal operation of said engine and allowing the normal operation of said hand starting lever independent of. said starter devices in manually starting said engine, a starter valve between said reservoir and said starter devices and means to connect said starter devices with said engine shaftwhen said starter devices are operated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine.

16. In gas engine starters, an engine com-- prising an engine shaft, a hand starting lever mounted in cooperation with but normally disengaged from'said engine shaft, a reservoir and starter valve communicating with said reservoir, starter devices cooperating with'but normally disengaged from said engine shaft and allowing the normal operation of said hand starting lever independent of'said starter devices in manually starting said engine, means to connect said starter devices with said engine shaft when said starter devices are operated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine and means to. disconnect said starter devices from said engine shaft in case of back firing of said engine.

17. In gas engine starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, an independently operating hand startin lever normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reservoir, a cylinder pipe and starter valve coinnmnieating with said reservoir, a starter cylinder connected .tosaid cylinder pipe, a starter piston mounted within said cylinder, a starter member .operatively connected with said starter piston and cooperating with said engine shaft, means to operatively connect said starter lllOlllbOl \Vltll'StIKl engine shaft when said starter member is operated by gaseous fluid from said reservoir to-th'e eupon start said engine and means to disconnect said starter member from said engine,

shaft in case of back firing of said engine.

13. In gas engine starters, an engine contv starter member operatively connected with said starter piston and cotiperating with said engine shaft, means to operatively connect said starter member with said engine shaft when said starter member is operated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine and means to disconnect said starter member from said engine shaft H in case of back firing of said engine.

19. In gas engine starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, a reservoir, 21 cylinder pipe and starter valve communicating with said reservoir, a starter cylinder connected to said cylinder pipe, :1 starter piston mounted within said cylinder, means to normally return said piston to its initial position adjacent the end of said cylinder, a starter member operatively connected with said starter piston and cooperating with said engine shaft and means to operatively connect said starter member with said engine shaft when said starter member is first operated by fluid from said reservoir to thereupon start said engine.

20. In gas engine starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, a reservoir, a connection between said reservoir and a cylinder of said engine to normallycreate gaseous fluid pressure in said reservoir'during the operation of said engine, starterdevices cooperating with but normally disengaged from said engine shaft, a starter. valve between said reservoir and said starter'devices, means to connect said starter devices with said engine shaft when said starter devices are first operated by fluid from said:

reservoir to thereupon start said engine and means to disconnect said; starter devices from said engine shaft in case of back firing of said engine.

21. In gas engine starters, an engine comprising an engine shaft, a hand starting lever mounted in coiiperation with but nor-- mally disengaged from said engine shaft, a reserv-o1r,.a connection between said reservoir and one of the cylinders of said engine to normally create fluid pressure in said' reservoir during the operation of said engine, starter devices cooperatlng with but normally disengaged from said engine shaft and allowing thenorma'l operation of said 'upon start said engine and means .to d shand starting lever independent of said connect said starter devices from said'en-- 10 starter devices in manually starting said engine shaft incase of back firing of said gin'e, a starter valve between said reservoir engine. and said starter devices, means to connect HIRAM PERCY MAXIM.

said starter devices with said engine shaft Witnesses:

when said starter devices are operated by HARRY L. DUNCAN, fluid pressure from said reservoir to there- J. N. WYATT..

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

